Convalescent home 1948

[Debra]

Could anyone help with any information about a convalescent home in St Leonards around 1948.
When my mother was 5 years old she was taken away from her family by Welfare Services, to the convalescent home. She remembers the Nuns and thinks it was called St Catherines. Her parents refused to talk about it, so we have no information (they are now deceased).

[janemuriel]

hi debra yes i well remember a convalecent home it was called st vincents open air scool and was situated at the top or half way down the hill on the right hand side from st leanards railway station it was run by the sisters of charity for children who were sick or ophaned or family problems i was there in the early fifties and they were very very strict we were not allowed to go out of the convent on our own and we were shaperoned for walks if we were naughty we were hit with a wooden hair brush on the palm of our hands and sent to bed their were mainly catholic children but some church of england like me who came from the midlands for health problems my name was jane sayers from wolverhampton

[brenda_brownhill]

hello Debra just a few words in conection to your enquiery about st vinsents open air school st lenoerds on sea sussex. i was sent there in 1954 about my name then was Brenda Simpsiss my married name is mrs Brenda Brownhill i also came from wolverhampton, st vinsents was run by sisters of charity. the building was quite old and had a little church inside by the big front door if i remember it had abig kichen and diner, a big hall sitting rooms abig play room with a piano were a blind woman use to come and play the muic and hynms for us. their were four dormatries.and a baby nursery onthe top floor,.each dormatris had a little side rooms on the one side of the big house the nuns residences, on the other side was the maids and house keepers rooms at each end of the dormaties were like little bed sits fof the people who looked after us slept. we went to church nearly every morning and night ,we went to school in the grounds in the morning and bed after dinner the did a bit of gardening iwhen we got up some times girls were picked to help in the laurndry with the nuns but i didnt mind this when i was picked it was the leaser of two evils i think,but i have to be fair in sayiing this debra i didnt mind being at st vinsents after a while i made some really good friends hope i can send you more messages and get to know you debra i am sure there are lots of questions you would like to ask just like me yours sincealey brenda xx

[brenda_brownhill]

[quoted]
Brenda Brownhill wrote:
hello Debra just a few words in conection to your enquiery about st vinsents open air school st lenoerds on sea sussex. i was sent there in 1954 about my name then was Brenda Simpsiss my married name is mrs Brenda Brownhill i also came from wolverhampton, st vinsents was run by sisters of charity. the building was quite old and had a little church inside by the big front door if i remember it had abig kichen and diner, a big hall sitting rooms abig play room with a piano were a blind woman use to come and play the muic and hynms for us. their were four dormatries.and a baby nursery onthe top floor,.each dormatris had a little side rooms on the one side of the big house the nuns residences, on the other side was the maids and house keepers rooms at each end of the dormaties were like little bed sits fof the people who looked after us slept. we went to church nearly every morning and night ,we went to school in the grounds in the morning and bed after dinner the did a bit of gardening iwhen we got up some times girls were picked to help in the laurndry with the nuns but i didnt mind this when i was picked it was the leaser of two evils i think,but i have to be fair in sayiing this debra i didnt mind being at st vinsents after a while i made some really good friends hope i can send you more messages and get to know you debra i am sure there are lots of questions you would like to ask just like me yours sincealey brenda xx
[/quoted]
the school is no longer aconvalecent home they have moved to new premises but i dont know where thet are situated, if you would like to speak more here is my no you can reach me by brenda .brownhill@hotmail.co.uk

[brenda_brownhill]

[quoted]
janemuriel wrote:
hi debra yes i well remember a convalecent home it was called st vincents open air scool and was situated at the top or half way down the hill on the right hand side from st leanards railway station it was run by the sisters of charity for children who were sick or ophaned or family problems i was there in the early fifties and they were very very strict we were not allowed to go out of the convent on our own and we were shaperoned for walks if we were naughty we were hit with a wooden hair brush on the palm of our hands and sent to bed their were mainly catholic children but some church of england like me who came from the midlands for health problems my name was jane sayers from wolverhampton

[/quoted]
hello jane i to went to st vincents if you are interested in speaking on this subject here is my email address brenda.brownhill@hotmail.co.uk